In the past, the networks’ news divisions firmly denied paying for interviews, instead offering travel and spending money to sources in a way that skirted the checkbook journalism charge. Now it appears some aren’t even bothering to hide the payments to sources. The exchange of money for information can lead to distorted information; buying news is in effect changing the news. The networks chalk it up to “license fees” and note it’s done all the time in Britain.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.